Concept and Tools for Political Analysis PDF

CONCEPT AND TOOLS FOR POLITICAL ANALYSIS  - necessary building blocks of thoughts, beliefs, knowledge or action - to effectively relate them to reality, condition, problems, solution, or analysis, etc. require a good WH...

CONCEPT AND TOOLS FOR POLITICAL ANALYSIS  - necessary building blocks of thoughts, beliefs, knowledge or action - to effectively relate them to reality, condition, problems, solution, or analysis, etc. require a good WHAT IS understanding of their supposed and CONCEPT contextual meanings. ? - function as an intellectual generalization used as representative of the category of objects, preoccupation, idea, phenomenon, occurrences, etc.  - created or emerges during the process of conceptualization: the process of arriving at WHAT IS generalization based on what CONCEPT has been perceived, ? experienced, and or believed - may be defined, but the functions of definition and concept are very well different because concept is  Concepts are not to be taken for granted in the process of political analysis because of the responsibility it places on them to create or reconceptualize where WHAT IS and when necessary CONCEPT? Immanuel Kant (2002): - a concept is a precedent or configuration that allows for the recognition of what appears before us as-what-it-is when it appears  DISTINCTION BETWEEN A TERM AND A CONCEPT: A term can become or graduate into a concept A term is specific while concept has a broader view of reality. EXAMPLE: WHAT IS Democracy or people’s sovereignty is likely to CONCEPT? become empty when separated from the way it is used daily by most people through a process of apprehending it, reflecting on and deliberating about its exact meaning in relation to reality, and making it clearer from the point of material facts of what they have done or has been done with them.  Concepts become very important to political analysis when what precisely happened is known Foucault (1972): a concept is a standard of discursive, broad, or conversational endeavor, WHAT IS activity or action. CONCEPT IMPORTANCE OF CONCEPTS TO POLITICAL ? ANALYSIS: space, context, circumstance, condition, etc. in relation to places, objects, subjects, and methods are significant to understanding the meaning and role of concepts Concepts are both abstract and concrete and  Concepts in political science that are relevant for political analysis: generalization, hypothesis, theories, CONCEPT variables [independent and dependent], S IN categorization, validation, models, POLITICA deduction, induction, method paradigm, prediction, falsification, etc. L SCIENCE OTHER CONCEPTS IN POLITICAL SCIENCE INEXORABLY FEATURED IN POLITICAL FOR ANALYSIS: POLITICA state, nation, government, citizen, power, authority, progress, development, growth, L rule of law, democracy, representation, rule, ANALYSIS order, separation of power, constitution, legitimacy, accountability and transparency, good governance, conflict, consensus, compromise, legal and political sovereignty,  REMEMBER: Students need to know the CONCEPT conceptual and practical or S IN POLITICA concrete meaning of concepts L to help understand the SCIENCE prevailing reality, its FOR existence or otherwise to help POLITICA them to make meaning of L social existence. ANALYSIS Analysis cannot be profoundly done without adequate and informed comprehension of  There is a great deal of relationship between conceptual framework and CONCEPTUAL political analysis which you are FRAMEWORK expected to know and work with in the AND POLITICAL course of your conceptual and ANALYSIS experiential efforts at political analysis. “A conceptual CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK: framework is - a methodical tool that is concerned at the heart with more than a few ideas, contexts, of political disparities [distinctions], adaptations, analysis” etc. - provides distinguishing features that help in the organization and  In the course of political CONCEPTUAL analysis, a conceptual FRAMEWORK framework will help to make AND POLITICAL possible adequate ANALYSIS comprehension of the system “A of ideas in simple terms. conceptual framework is Students will not only grasp at the heart the fundamental principles of political analysis” of a conceptual framework but will also be assisted in developing a framework of  EXAMPLE: CONCEPTUAL When there is preparation to carry out a political analysis, an action plan is required to FRAMEWORK work out the basic steps or activity during your AND attempt at political research or analysis. POLITICAL ANALYSIS However, this may not be effectively achieved without a clearly defined conceptual framework “A that takes seriously a good understanding and identification of the dependent, independent, conceptual and intervening variables in a given reality. framework is at the heart Moreover, this effort will help to effectively of political relate cause and effect and problem to solution analysis” and of course arriving at generalization based on the tangible and intangible phenomenon seen, experienced and or believed.  SPECIFIC TOOLS FOR POLITICAL ANALYSIS THAT ARE REQUIRED FOR IN-DEPTH AND ACCURATE POLITICAL TOOLS INQUIRIES: (Brinkerhoff; 2009:1183-4) FOR 1. POWER ANALYSIS – a calculation that helps you determine a minimum sample size for your study POLITIC 2. STAKEHOLDER ANALYSIS – a range of techniques for mapping and understanding the power, positions, and AL perspectives of the players (stakeholders) who have an interest in, and/or are likely to be affected by, a particular ANALYSI policy reform (Buse et al, 2005) 3. FORCE-FIELD ANALYSIS - identifies and analyzes those S forces which help drive change and those which restrain or inhibit change 4. POLITICAL MAPPING – facilitates our understanding of structural factors that condition decision-making processes so that we may analyze contextual issues 5. NETWORK ANALYSIS – a method of studying the relationships between entities in a network. It involves analyzing the connections, or links, between the entities, as  BASED ON THE TOOLS, THE FOLLOWING ARE THE EXPECTATIONS: 1. To know how power determine formulation of rules, setting of policy agenda, structure, distribution of resources, access to TOOLS welfare and justice, whose interest and values dominates FOR policy, the role of formal and informal forces, etc.; POLITICAL 2. To know whose interest should be taken care of when ANALYSIS formulating and implementing policies or programs based on data collected and analyzed; 3. To know the factors and underlying forces that makes goal realization possible and difficult; know the governmental borderline of a nation, region, city, state, etc. For purpose of proper differentiation and ease of location for governmental activities, collection of data, etc.; 4. To know the drive and interest that determines political influences among political actors- individuals, groups, and institutions; and 5. To know the open and underlying social forces- internal and external that brings about change to a nation, organization, etc. like the role of regulation, technology, reforms, etc. - All these tools are part of the conceptual framework that enables a good understanding of ideas and context before political analysis is undertaken